Flooding causes early relocation of Land and Environment Court registry counter

The Court has attributed the decision to shift the registry counter’s location earlier than previously advised to an overnight ‘flood incident’. The new, temporary location will be on the ground floor of 50 Phillip St, Sydney.

It’s described as a seven-minute walk from the Court’s regular home at 225 Macquarie St. The Court says all its usual face-to-face registry counter services will be available at the temporary location during the court vacation period, which commences on 22 December and concludes on 30 January 2026.

The new Court term will begin on 2 February. The Land and Environment Court has previously advised that a Duty Judge will be available for urgent listings during the vacation period. The Registrar’s directions hearing list will resume on 19 January.

More information on the registry relocation can be found here, while details of the Court’s vacation period are posted here.

This is the second flooding incident at Sydney’s courts this year. In June, the Downing Centre, which is home to the Local, District and Drug Courts, was closed due to flooding caused by a burst Sydney Water main beneath Castlereagh St.

An electrical transformer and switchboard, both critical pieces of infrastructure, were impacted by water and needed to be replaced. Work on the Downing Centre, including upgrades to public spaces, has at times been occurring around the clock.

The Department of Communities and Justice recently announced that remediation work was progressing as planned and the building was scheduled to reopen to the public on Friday, 19 December 2025, with some courts returning the following Monday.

Main image, Chief Judge of the Land and Environment Court of NSW, Brian Preston.